RTY | MW [✔]

11.

Wonwoo's body kept trying to tell him one thing and his brain another. He wasn't in labor— he couldn't be. It was too soon. He wasn't ready. But no matter how hard he tried to convince himself of that, the contractions kept coming. He'd planned for this— only he'd planned for it to happen in another month, not now. When he felt his time nearing, he was going to shift and stay as a fox for the birth— that would make the whole thing a lot easier. But if his body was right, and he was in labor, then it was far too late now. He wouldn't be able to change form again until after the baby was born.

"Just breathe, Wonwoo."

It seemed as if Mingyu had been constantly in motion since they'd awoken. He didn't know what the alpha was doing, too focused on trying to convince himself that this wasn't happening. But now Mingyu was adding yet more wood to the fire and what looked like a pot, too. The alpha caught his curious stare.

"Just heating some water. There's some soap in my pack as well. We can at least greet this baby with clean hands. Some of the clothes in my pack were freshly washed before we left home. That should be good enough to wrap the baby in for now."

Mingyu was calm and levelheaded, and Wonwoo envied him that. He felt like everything was spiraling out of control, and he had no idea how to stop it.

The pain came again, and he crouched over, digging his fingers into the blankets as he did his best to breathe through it. Each time it happened, it seemed to get stronger and last longer. That was a good thing, he remembered distantly. His body preparing to bring his baby into the world.

"Here, drink some water."

Mingyu handed him the bottle as the contraction eased, and Wonwoo gulped down a few mouthfuls without hesitation. It was cool and fresh.

"You found the stream."

"Wasn't hard to find— I just followed my ears."

The alpha smiled at him, but Wonwoo couldn't bring himself to return it. He was so scared.

"This wasn't how I planned it. I was going to be a fox. It would be easier and shorter and safer..."

And now he'd stupidly put both himself and his cub in danger.

"Hey." Mingyu's hand felt heavy on his shoulder— solid and reassuring. "It's going to be okay. Giving birth is hard no matter what form you're in. But you can do this. You're strong, I know you are. And you have me— I won't leave your side."

"I'm not strong," Wonwoo argued. "I'm weak— a coward. I run, Mingyu. I always run. When the wolves came for us, that's exactly what I did— I ran and left my family behind to die."

"If you hadn't, you'd be dead too."

Wonwoo bristled with anger. He didn't want understanding, he wanted blame. Recrimination.

"I left them. You'd never leave your pack like that."

"That's different— I'm an adult and their alpha prime. Back then, you were just a kid." Mingyu squeezed his shoulder. "Didn't you tell me once that if a wolf ever came to your den, you'd run? Weren't you just doing what you were supposed to do?"

"If there was danger, we were all supposed to run, as a family," Wonwoo told him, reaching for Mingyu's hand and lacing their fingers together. "But back then, everything went wrong. My parents and uncles had been distraught for days about my sister, Karina. She was missing. They were trying to hide how worried they were, but I could see it in their eyes. They kept leaving the den to talk, whispering to each other. My mother and my uncles left to look for her. Days went by and they didn't come back. That night, the night the war began, the hyenas came and took my father away. He was gone all night, and the wolf pack nearby was in uproar. It was the longest, darkest night. I was looking after the younger ones, just waiting for dawn. My papa came back at first light. He was alone and limping badly. There was blood."